Largest prehistoric bird
- Who
- Dromornis stirtoni
- What
- 3/500 dimension(s)
- Where
- Australia
- When
- 15 million to 25,000 years ago
The largest prehistoric bird was the flightless Dromornis stirtoni, a huge emu-like creature which lived in central Australia between 15 million and 25,000 years ago. Fossil leg bones found near Alice Springs in 1974 indicate that the bird must have stood c.3 m. (10 ft) tall and weighed about 500 kg (1,100 lb).
The giant moa Dinornis maximus of New Zealand may have been even taller, possibly attaining a height of 3.6 m. (12 ft). It weighed about 227 kg. (500 lb).